http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Guatemala , Panajachel en-us Sun, 06 Dec 09 00:07:34 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 09 00:07:34 +0000 We picked up Lydia and company in the morning and made our way to Tecpan. An hour and a half later we arrived and went straight to the cemetery to visit my grandfathers grave my moms dad.Afterwards we kept going for another two hours to Panajachel. We arrived around 2pm and would have arrived earlier had it not been for the construction on the highway and the directional signs being remove http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/blog-435848.html After a rather uneventful traverse of Guatemala City I found my way to the Interamericana highway and made my way higher and higher into the highland volcano country. The ride was spectacular and punctuated only by a couple stops to warm my hands and snap photos and one stop in a small town where the road had been closed by a indigenous rights demonstration. I pulled to the front of the line of http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-419555.html lac atitlan panajachel et on the road...guatemala 2002 http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-390006.html Hello everyoneI recently went on a service trip with St. Camillus of Washington D.C. thanks to the friars here at Siena College and I know you haven't heard from any of my travels in a while I had an amazing time and an even more amazing experience. I cannot begin to thank the people of St. Camillus the friars at Siena Mike our fearless leader and the people of Guatemala for all of their http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-379238.html Heading off up to the lake From Xela to Panajachel which sits on the shores of the beautiful Lago Atitlan surrounded by volcanoes over 3500 ft high that's not the biggest we found a friendly local familly run hotel named Villa Lupita in the old town with a view over the lake from the roof terrace. Know to locals as Pana the town has a toursity feelwith lots of indigenous handy crafts which http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-379156.html Well ladies and gentlemen it has been an exciting week After meeting my old family in San Juan del Obispo things have been well. It was nice to see them after 10 years of absence they are doing well. One of the sons is completeing his final year in architecture at University and going out to do his practicum the other is just beginning university. The family is well and still speaks no en http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-374597.html Panajachel is the biggest of the towns surrounding Lake Atitlan in the south of Guatemala. We came here with our travelling buddy Julius and a new French guy named Alex. The lake is surrounded by volcanoes both active and dormant and has spectacular scenery. Unfortunately the town of Panajachel is quite touristy but this also means that there are good choices of hostel. Ours was so privat http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-372133.html Wed 17th Dec 08Just after lunch Fran Brad myself hired 3 mountain bikes threw them on top of a chicken bus. We took the bus to a town at the top of the hills. We biked down the crazy road with extreme drops that leads back into Panajachel. There were some hairy turns near misses with oncoming chicken buses but it was great fun all the same. It took about 10 minutes to reach the bottom.T http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-366180.html Tues 16thToday Fran Christina Brenda Brad myself hired a boat. We 1st went to Santa Cruz for breakfast at the Lost Iguana with spectacular views of Central America's deepest lake. Then we crossed to San Iago de Atitlan where the mainly Tz'utijil Kakchiquel have a deity which is an amalgamation of christian Mayan saints the Spanish conquistador Avildera St. Simon Judas Iscariot all f http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-366177.html Mon 15th GuatemalaWe awoke early packed our stuff. We loaded the collectivo settled in for the long drive to Panajachel. The journey was uneventful. At the border I avoided the 27 Mexican Departure tax by simple saying yo regresso I return to the border official. Uffe I had some fried chicken from a road side stall at the crossing while we were trying to change our pesos to quetzal http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-366163.html Have been in Guatemala for 4days now it is great to be here.Anituga for new years was awesome dualing fireworks all night long.Took the time to climb volcan Pacaya was a good experince but way more then we planed for.Left the 2nd for lanquin to find a little slice of paradise would of loved to stay longer as it was beautiful senuc champey was stunning.So now here we are in flores getting up for http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/blog-360168.html The group all went on the boat trip nice early start except Michelle as ill. We had a breakfast stop in an amazing place. Would love to come back and stay here. It was called Hotel la Casa he views were amazing the food divine... It was a great start to the day. We then went onto Santiago Atitlan went to the church. Here we had another odd experience. We went to visit Maximon their god that http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-360114.html Hello to all I finally feel like I have found my spot for this vacation. I love San Pedro La Laguna. Today I rented horses and a guide. Now bear in mind this is my first horse ride in oh...at least 30 years So we just went for 3 hours which was enough to make me walk funny for awhile afterwards. We went to a very nice beach Playa Dorado that did not have any hotels hanging right overtop of http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-352294.html Panajachel aka Pana is the busiest and most built up town around Lake Atitlan. We took a boat to a hotel La Casa del Mundo near Jaibalito for breakfast. Itrsquos built on a secluded cliff and Lonely Planet calls this place the most magical hotel in Guatemala and itrsquos certainly not too far from the truth At every turn there was a Kodak moment and there were enough lounge chairs I http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-350048.html Panajachel 10 abril 1990.It039s just a few minutes after 01.00 h. in the morning and we039ve found ourselves a local bar allright.We found this place after manuevering ourselves through a maze of little small alleys behind the market. I remember how we saw drunk locals lying at the side of the alley not an uncommon sight in this heck of the woods borrachos vomiting their guts out and http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-319399.html Having done Mexico from Mexico CityOaxaca and Puerto Escondidoand finall San Cristobalwe arrived in Guatemala yesterday. Staying by Lake Atitlan. Will add more soon. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-319389.html Panajachel later during the night.Por todos los dioses imaginados por el ser humano this was unexpected and is getting totally out of control.Peter and Michael are already drunk out of their collective skulls Nora is getting to that state where she039ll take off her clothes and starts dancing again singing softly in her Louisiana accented french. We039ve moved to the bar039s garden and http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-319039.html Panajachel 09 abril 1990.I come back exhausted and dead tired from my long and strenouos hike to San Marcus La Laguna. I need a bath really but I feel so hungry I decide to go to my favourite gringo bar here in Pana first to wolf down a socalled Texas Breakfast three omelettes two hamburgers fried potatoes fresh vegetables bread coffee and a Bloody Mary On The Rocks.Upon entering I can hea http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-318638.html Panajachel 8 abril 1990.It was only four kilometer from Panajachel to Santa Catarina Palopo a small village with adobe houses with corrugated roofs where the stray dogs barked at me and chicken crossed the narrow stone paved streets while the village children followed me around.I found myself a small comedor with a sign outside that said cervezas fras. Ordering this elusive cerveza fria that http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-318285.html Between Solola and Panajachel 07 abril 1990.I039ve decided to walk the eightodd kilometer from Solola to Panajachel.Upon leaving Solola my first stop is the cemetery which is colorful and interesting with graves going back all the way to the time of the spanish conquistadores. These spanish soldiers that died so far away from their native spanish soil often by the arrows of rebelious indio http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Panajachel/Lake-Atitlan/blog-317977.html